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Time of India
08-08-2025
- Time of India
Rakhi rush chokes city markets, packs trains, buses
1 2 3 4 Jaipur: City markets, bus stands, and railway stations were overwhelmed with festive crowds on Friday as women in large numbers shopped for glittering Rakhis ahead of Raksha Bandhan , which falls Saturday. The Walled City's busy lanes — from Maniharon Ka Raasta and Johari Bazaar to Chandpole Bazaar — were packed from morning till night, with shoppers buying Rakhis, gifts, and sweets for their brothers. Tradition and variety kept the markets buzzing. "There are so many metallic Rakhis this year. I have been visiting the walled city since childhood with my mother, and now I'm here with my daughter," said Satita Lalwani, a housewife from Malviya Nagar. The festival extends to sisters-in-law also. "It is customary to tie a Rakhi to sisters-in-law as well. We carry sweets for the entire family — nephews and nieces included," said Asha Rani, 28, from Shyam Nagar, who was picking out gifts at Chandpole Bazaar. The festival rush was equally visible at Sindhi Camp bus stand, where passengers queued for services to Bharatpur, Agra, Kota and Delhi. Most buses were fully booked. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bids: New Container Houses – Take A Look At The Prices! Container homes | Search ads Learn More Undo "We have run 25% additional services to manage the Raksha Bandhan rush," said an RSRTC official. Private buses also reported full occupancy, with latecomers struggling to find seats. At Jaipur railway station, incoming and outgoing trains were packed, with waiting lists stretching long. Many without confirmed reservations boarded anyway, risking penalties. "I applied for reservation but it was not confirmed. The journey is unavoidable, so we took the risk," said a passenger boarding the Puja Express to Delhi Cantt with family. The congestion is being fuelled by the extended holiday stretch, with Independence Day and Janmashtami falling in the following week. Traders expect brisk business to continue through the weekend, while transport officials brace for sustained passenger traffic. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Time of India
Summer rush trumps reserved tickets
1 2 Jaipur: Passengers with confirmed tickets are experiencing difficulties while travelling from Jaipur and other parts of Rajasthan due to overwhelming summer crowds. Although North Western Railway (NWR) introduced approximately 35 pairs of summer special trains, the measure appears insufficient to handle the surge. Furthermore, most trains are witnessing rapid ticket bookings, resulting in a waitlisted status for advance reservations. TOI on Saturday spoke to train passengers about their journey experiences during crowded summers and also to the NWR authorities to learn about their measures. "I travelled on the Malini Express from Delhi to Jaipur on Friday. I booked tickets in the sleeper class, and it was already overcrowded. I, along with my three family members, somehow reached inside the train. There were already some passengers sitting. After arguments, I managed to board my seat, but throughout the journey, people who had no reservation were standing and sitting," said Jitendra Maheshwari, who travelled to Jaipur from Delhi after completing a vacation at Kullu and Manali. Rail passengers said that despite booking berths in advance, throughout their journey, they are seeing passengers asking for some room to sit on their reserved berths. "The problematic route is Jaipur to Alwar, where people mostly get into the sleeper class and also in the third AC. I travelled to Jammu on the Puja Express to further go to Vaishno Devi with family last week, and the train was overcrowded," said Laxman Singh Shekhawat, a retired govt employee. On the other hand, NWR authorities said that presently 35 pairs of trains are operated to accommodate the summer rush. "We are operating 35 pairs of trains to various destinations, including Pune, Valsad, Mumbai, Mathura, Ahmedabad, Agra, Howrah, Haridwar, Udaipur, Ranchi, Mysore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Guwahati, and Prayagraj. Also, in many of the trains, we have added extra coaches. As far as passengers entering reserved coaches are concerned, we regularly tackle this issue by strict checking and surprise checks in the trains," said Captain Shashi Kiran, Chief Public Relations Officer, NWR. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Nature Meets Science: This Spray Is Turning Heads in Ear Health Stop Tinnitus Now Learn More Undo Even then, trains are witnessing rapid bookings to various destinations. "I was searching for tickets to travel to Kathgodam to take my family to Nainital in June, but booking is showing a waiting list for the second AC class. I booked four tickets in the hope of getting them confirmed," said Amarjeet Singh, who works at an insurance company in Jaipur.
